Welcome back, Sharon Tay *

A local television legend of sorts, and LA Observed oldie but goodie, returned tonight to the Los Angeles airwaves — and now to the blogosphere. Sharon Tay co-anchored the "KTLA Morning News," as it was known in 2004, and got some attention for posting sexy photos on her personal website and posing fetchingly for a spread in Razor magazine. Mention of her here three years ago spiked traffic and brought hundreds of Google searches to the LA Observed archives. The Times followed with a piece asking "are TV anchors too hot?," quoting Tay saying, "I need to be myself, and when I'm myself, viewers respond. I can show that I can be girly. I can be funny. I can be sexy. I can be honest. I can relate to them on a friend level. They can trust me." KTLA eminence Hal Fishman then aired a commentary on the 10 pm news defending Tay's honor, and her place in L.A. TV lore became secure.

The following January, Tay left to co-host an MSNBC entertainment show, opening the door for Cher Calvin to join KTLA. Tay's MSNBC gig didn't last out 2005, and her fans lost track of her. "How can I get a copy of the KTLA clip from Sam Rubin's poolside BBQ where Sharon wore a bikini?," someone posted on the Channel 5 website last fall. Well, today I began receiving email that she was in the building at the new KCBS-KCAL digs in Studio City. Tonight, I'm told, she reported a story on Channel 9's news — status unknown. (Many TV news pros here work part-time or by the day.) As for Tay's glamour website, the welcome page is still up but the old photo spreads are unavailable — unless you Google.

* Thursday update: Video of Tay's first story, a feature on the eBay sale of the General Lee from "The Dukes of Hazzard."